1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the automotive light truck accessory field primarily to accessories which enhance the practical utility of the truck for additional uses such as the storage and organization of tools and equipment, and the convenient assess and use of such tools and equipments, and transport of cargos particularly suited to such trucks.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Pick-up type trucks are an essential tool for both transportation to and from job sites, and for tool and equipment storage and organization, and can also provide a convenient workplace to conduct job related task and activities. Most pick-up trucks in production today have uncovered beds to which is attached a hinged tailgate panel. This tailgate typically is hinged to allow the tailgate to fold flat with the plane of the truck bed in order to facilitate easy access for loading and unloading cargo. This horizontal surface can also serve as a convenient height work surface for assembling and working on a variety of objects in the field. Popular today also are truck storage containers, which either mount inside of the pickup truck bed, straddle across the bed width, or mount along the length of the bed. Usually these are of heavy-duty construction, and are accessible by standing inside of the bed, or alongside of the truck. There are numerous practical disadvantages to their use, since open easy access is usually not possible due to the increasing height of the trucks today, the accessibility of objects and tools placed at the bottom or the center of these containers is impossible unless one climbs onto the bed of the pickup and bends over . . . tasks which are inconvenient and which are susceptible to worker injury. Also, unlocking and opening the covers to these cargo boxes can be made difficult by their height and inconvenient location
Another disadvantage of units presently available is their incursion and use of cargo volumetric space, limiting the useful load carrying space available, such as carrying 4 ft by 8 ft plywood sheets, large building materials, etc. Additionally, the design aspects of currently available tool storage boxes do not integrate into the vehicle's design appearance, and often detract from the vehicle appearance. Accordingly, these prior approaches have failed to meet many of the needs of pickup truck owners.